Every year million tons of gaseous pollutants are emitted from various industrial processes and urban activities into the atmosphere. These pollutants add greenhouse gases to the environment that are resulting most notably in climate change and global warming. In the EU, industrial processes account for 7% of all greenhouse gases. Around 877 million tonnes of CO2 are emitted annually by the manufacturing industry. Over 90% of citizens in the European region are exposed to harmful annual levels of pollutants above WHO's air quality guidelines. The economic cost of the approximate 600,000 premature deaths and of the diseases caused by air pollution is estimated at €1.6 trillion in the WHO European Region. This economic value corresponds to the amount societies are willing to pay to avoid these deaths and diseases with necessary interventions. In Italy alone the annual cost to society due to the related health problems of these emissions is estimated at €97 billion (4.7% of Gross Domestic Product). The impacts caused by air pollution include premature death, productivity and work days losses, human health problems and hospital costs, damage to monuments, artistic works, and buildings and reduced agricultural yields. WHO estimated that worldwide 7 million death (1 in 8 of total global deaths) are attributable to air pollution each year. Out of that, 4.3 million deaths are attributable to indoor air pollution, households and workplaces, and 3.7 million deaths come from urban and rural sources worldwide. Indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure is related to cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischemic heart disease, asthma, lung and respiratory diseases and cancer. It is estimated that air pollution causes 5% of cancers in the trachea, bronchi and lungs, 2% of the cardiopulmonary mortality, 1% of respiratory infections. Furthermore, increase in 10 μg/m3 of particulate matter (PM10) increases the risk of other airborne diseases by 8%. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), where the occupants of certain buildings repeatedly describe a complex range of health complaints is often attributed to poor air quality. Reducing annual average PM10 concentrations from levels of 70 μg/m3 to the guideline level of 20 μg/m3 could reduce air pollution-related deaths by around 15%. The positive effect of APA will be felt both economically and environmentally across Europe. APA will supply Europe and its citizens with cleaner air resulting in a healthier workplace and a consequent reduction of premature deaths and diseases due to air pollution. A reduced illness rate among workers will have a positive impact on European governments and process plants, that will sustain reduced health costs and absenteeism. The clean air package aims to substantially reduce air pollution across the EU, setting out objectives for reducing the health and environmental impacts of air pollution by 2030. In addition, the EU has committed to cutting its emissions to 20% below 1990 levels.
